Thirty Burmese Tales
By
MAUNG HTIN AUNG (M.A., LL.B., Ph.D., D.Litt)
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
First published – 1952
Twentieth impression - 1958
CONTENTS
I. ANIMAL TALES
- THE RABBIT HAS A GOLD
- MASTER PO AND THE TIGER
- JUDGE RABBIT
- THE THREE FOOLISH ANIMALS
- WHY THE RABBIT’S NOSE TWITCHES
- WHY THE TIGER IS SO BETTER AGAINST THE CAT
- WHY THE CORMORANT HAS NO TAIL
- THE CROW AND THE WREN
- HOW FRIENDSHIP BEGAN AMONG BIRDS
- HOW THE CROW BECAME SMALL IN SIZE
- ABRIDGEROOM FOR MISS MOUSE
- THE LITTLE CHICKEN AND THE OLD CAT
- HOW TH GALON-BIRD BECAME SALT-MAKER
- WHY THE BUFFALO HAS NO UPPER TEETH
- WHY THE BARKING DEER BARKS
II. ROMANTIC TALES
- LITTLE MISS FROG
- THE FROG MAIDEN
- THE GOLDEN CROW
- MASTER HEAD
- THE BIG TORTOISE
- RAIN CLOUD THE CROCODILE
- THE RAINBOW
- THE OLD MAN IN THE MOON
- THE ECLIPSE OF THE MOON
- THE THREE DRAGON EGGS
III. HUMOROUS TALES
- THE DRUNKARD AND THE OPIUM-EATER
- THE OPIUM-EATER AND THE FOUR OORES
- THE FOUR YOUNG MEN
- THE FOUR DEAF PEOPLE
- MASTER CROOKED AND MASTER TWISTED
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I. ANIMAL TALES
1. THE RABBIT HAS A COLD
King Lion appointed the Bear, the Monkey, and the Rabbit to be his ministers of state, and together they roamed the forest. But one day the Lion became tired of their company and wanted to kill and eat them.
However, as he himself had chosen them to be his ministers, he had to think of an excuse which would give a semblance of legality to his unjust act.
So, King Lion called his three ministers of state, and said to them, ‘My lords, you have been my ministers for some time, and I must now find out whether high office has spoilt you’. The Lion opened his mouth wide and asked the Bear to state what sort of smell ensued from the royal mouth. As the Lion was a great meat-eater, naturally a foul smell came out from his mouth.
The Bear, ever truthful, said, ‘Your Majesty, it is a foul smell’.
‘Rank treason’, roared the Lion in auger. ‘You insult the king to his face. The punishment for treason is death.’ So, saying, he pounced upon the Bear and killed him.
The Lion now asked the Monkey to say what sort of smell ensued from the royal mouth. The Monkey, after witnessing the fate of the Bear, thought that the only way to escape with his life was to resort to flattery, and said, ‘Your Majesty, it is a delicious smell, as sweet as the choicest perfume’.
‘You are a liar and a flatterer’, roared the Lion in anger. ‘Everyone knows that only a foul smell can come out of my mouth as I am a great meat-eater.
Untruthful and flattering counsellors to the king are a danger to the state.’ So, saying, he pounced upon the Monkey and killed him.
The Lion now said to the Rabbit, ‘Wise Rabbit, what sort of smell ensues from my mouth?’
‘I am sorry, Your Majesty’, replied the Rabbit, ‘I have a cold and my nose is blocked. May I go home and rest until my cold is cured, for only then shall I be able to use my nose and say what sort of smell ensues from the royal mouth?’ The Lion had no choice but to let the Rabbit go home and, needless to say, the Rabbit never went near him again.
2. MASTER PO AND THE TIGER
A young boy, by the name of Master Po, used to leave his village every day and wander in the forest. He became friends with all the animals, especially the Tiger. Master Po and the Tiger used to take long walks in the forest together. Master Po had a genuine affection for his friend, but the Tiger had an ulterior motive: he looked forward to the day when he could ask young Master Po to take him to the village, so that he could run away with a fat calf or two belonging to the villagers. One day, the Tiger said to Master Po, ‘Friend Po, will you take me to your village?’
‘I cannot do that, good Tiger’, replied Master Po, ‘for the villagers all dislike you. You must remember that you have often pounced upon their cattle while at pasture outside the village.’
‘If you won’t take me, I will go there by myself’, said the Tiger petulantly.
That same evening, the Tiger loitered about the village gate. Master Po saw him, and said to him, ‘Friend Tiger, do not loiter about here, for the villagers are full of cunning, and they will trap you’. But the Tiger merely laughed at this warning.
Master Po stood at the gate, trying to persuade his friend to go back to the forest, but without success It now became dark, and as his parents were calling him, Master Po went back to his house with a final warning to the Tiger. The Tiger waited until the villagers were all asleep. He then went into the village and came out dragging a fat calf. Early the next day, Master Poe went into the forest and found the Tiger. ‘Tiger,’ said Master Po, ‘we have been friends for a long time, so please heed my words. Tonight, they are laying a trap for you, so do not come again to our village.’ But the Tiger laughed at the warning as before. That night the Tiger entered the village and was duly caught in the trap laid by the villagers. In the morning, the villagers found him. ‘We will let him rage and roar in the trap until he exhausts himself’, agreed the villagers, ‘and we will let him die slowly of starvation and thirst.’ So, they left the Tiger in the trap.
For six days the Tiger raged and roared, and Master Po felt sorry for his friend, but as he was afraid of a beating from his parents, he did not dare to set the Tiger free. On the seventh day, however, Master Po felt that it was worth a beating to save his friend, so he went and opened the trap. ‘Run away now, good Tiger;’ said Master Po, ‘for the sake of our friendship, I will face the anger of my parents and other villagers.’
‘Thank you', replied the Tiger, ‘but I must eat you, for I am exhausted and cannot hunt for prey.’ Master Po pleaded that as the animal owed him a debt of gratitude for freeing him, the Tiger should not eat him.
The Tiger, in reply, contended that there was no such thing as a debt of gratitude. In the end, Master Po succeeded in persuading the Tiger that they should find a judge and let him decide their dispute.
Master Po and the Tiger went into the forest in search of a judge, and they met the Skull of a dead ox.
They begged the Skull to decide their dispute. After listening to the arguments put forward by the disputants, the Skull gave his decision: ‘There is no such thing as a debt of gratitude. For example, my master made me plough his land for many years, but when I became old in his service, he killed me and ate me. So, the Tiger should eat Master Po.’
‘I will eat you now’, roared the Tiger. But Master Po claimed the right of appeal to another judge. So, Master Po and the Tiger went on until they met the Banyan Tree, whom they asked to decide their case.
The Banyan Tree, after listening to the arguments put forward by the disputants, gave his decision: ‘There is no such thing as a debt of gratitude. For example, human beings rest in my shade from the heat and glare of the sun, yet they break my branches and take away my flowers. So the Tiger should eat Master Po.’
I will eat you now’, roared the Tiger. But Master Po claimed the right of appeal to another judge.
‘Remember this ‘is your last chance’, warned the Tiger, ‘for one is entitled to go before three courts 'only for the same dispute’. So the two went on until they met the Rabbit.
‘Wise Rabbit,’ said they, ‘please decide our dispute.’
After listening to the arguments of the disputants, the Rabbit said that he would have to visit the scene of the dispute, before he could give his decision.
So the Rabbit went with Master Po and the Tiger to the trap at the village. ‘Now,’ said the Rabbit, ‘where were you, Tiger, when Master Po came to free you?’
‘I was in the trap’, replied the Tiger.
‘Show me exactly how you stood in the trap’, asked the Rabbit, and the Tiger went and stood in the trap.
‘Now, Master Po’, said the Rabbit, ‘close the trap first and then show me how you came and freed the Tiger.’
When Master Po had locked the trap, the Rabbit shouted ‘Stop! Do -not free the Tiger’. The Rabbit then explained to the astonished Tiger and Master Po, ‘I have now restored the status quo of the disputants.
The Tiger is back at his place, and Master Po is back at his place also. The dispute is now over.’ The Rabbit then went back to the forest, and Master Po ran back to his home. The Tiger died of hunger and thirst a few days later.
3. JUDGE RABBIT
Mister Clever and Mister Stupid were neighbours, and the former had a cow, whereas the latter had a mare.
One night Clever’s cow gave birth to a calf, and Stupid’s mare gave birth to a colt. Clever, being a light sleeper, heard the bleating of the calf and the neighing of the colt. Taking a light, he went down to the cowshed to have a look. He noticed that there was no light in Stupid’s stable. Guessing that Stupid had not been awakened by the neighing of the colt, Clever took the calf to the stable and brought the colt to the cowshed. Then he went back to bed.
Early the next day he went round the village, telling everybody that a strange and wonderful thing had happened; his cow had given birth to a colt. The villagers flocked to the cowshed, and gazed in wonder at the colt. By this time, Stupid had found the calf in his stable and, suspecting the truth, he came to Clever and accused him of stealing his colt. Clever denied, maintaining that by a strange freak of nature, his cow had given birth to a colt. ‘But what about the calf in my stable?’ asked Stupid indignantly.
‘By a strange freak of nature also’, suggested Clever sweetly, ‘your mare must have given birth to a calf.’
Stupid appealed to the neighbours, who however admitted their inability to decide the dispute. So Stupid asked Clever to go with him to another village to find a judge. On the way they met the Rabbit and asked him to act' as judge in their dispute.
‘With pleasure’ replied the Rabbit. Stupid and Clever explained what the dispute wad, and the Rabbit said, ‘I am busy now, but will fix a date for your case.
I will meet you in your village at sunrise on the morning of the seventh day from now. Be ready with your witnesses.’ Stupid and Clever thanked the Rabbit and came back to their village.
On the appointed day at sunrise Stupid and Clever and the whole village assembled to await the coming of Judge Rabbit. The sun rose higher and higher until it was noon, but there was no Judge Rabbit. Noon passed and still there was no Judge Rabbit. It was only at sunset that the Rabbit appeared. As it was so unusual for the Rabbit to break his word, the villagers could not help asking why he did not come at the appointed time, although in ordinary circumstances they should, out of courtesy, have asked no questions of a judge.
‘I am so sorry’, replied Judge Rabbit, ‘but I was delayed by an accident. As I was coming to you this morning, I saw a sandbank in the river on fire, and the whole day I have been carrying water in a wicker crate and pouring it on the fire to put it out.
Clever, who took pride in his cleverness, thought that Judge Rabbit was trying to test the intelligence of the villagers. ‘Sire Judge,’ said he brightly, ‘how can a sandbank in the middle of the river be on fire, and how can water be carried in a wicker crate? It is against nature. I do not believe you!’
‘Quite right, Clever’, replied Judge Rabbit calmly, ‘how can a cow give birth to a colt, and how can a mare give birth to a calf? It is against nature. So take back your calf and give back the colt to your neighbour Stupid.’ The villagers applauded the decision of Judge Rabbit, and from that day onwards they always chose the Rabbit as their judge in all their disputes.
4. THE THREE FOOLISH ANIMALS
The Wise Rabbit sat under a tree and pondered on life in general. He said to himself, ‘The world is full of difficulties and dangers. First, there are natural catastrophes such as earthquakes and landslides and storms’.
Second, there is always the danger of famine, of shortage of food and water. Third, there is the danger of thieves and robbers.’ He then remembered an important appointment and went away.
Unknown to him, three animals had been listening to him, namely, the Lapwing, the Earthworm, and the Monkey. They were very foolish animals, and they became panic-stricken at the words of the Rabbit. The Lapwing thought in particular of natural catastrophes and with tears he said, ‘What if the sky should fall on me when I am asleep? If it should fall when I am awake at least I can fly away, but if it should fall when I am asleep, I shall be crushed to death.’
The Earthworm thought specially of the danger of famine, and with tears he said, ‘What if there should be a shortage of soil which is my food? I shall die, I shall die'
The Monkey thought in particular of thieves, and with tears he said, ‘The earth is my most valuable property,
but at night I leave it to sleep aloft in. a tree.
What if thieves and robbers should come and steal the earth while I am asleep?’
From that time onwards, the Lapwing sleeps on his back with his two little legs in the air, so that if the sky should fall the legs would support the fallen sky; the Earthworm vomits out the soil after eating it, in case there should be shortage of soil, and the Monkey comes down from his tree three times every night, and feels the ground to assure himself that the earth has not been stolen from him.
5. WHY THE RABBIT'S NOSE TWITCHES
The Frog was jealous of the Rabbit’s reputation for wisdom and planned to make the Rabbit the laughingstock of the jungle. So he hid himself underneath a stone and when he saw the Rabbit coming along leisurely, the Frog hallowed in a loud voice ‘Ong-Ing’
The Rabbit -jumped one cubit into the air and then ran away in fright. As he ran, he knocked down a Pumpkin. The Pumpkin rolled down the slope to a Sessamin held and bumped against a Sessamin Plant, scattering the Sessamin seeds. The Wild Fowl happened to be flying over the spot, and some of the seeds got into his eyes, temporarily’ blinding him. The Wild Fowl alighted on a Bamboo Plant. The Bamboo broke and fell on a Snake who was sleeping underneath. The Snake ran away in fright and bumped against the Wild Pig who was quietly eating a Cucumber. The Wild Pig dropped it in fright, and the Cucumber fell into the nearby pool. There was a Naga - dragon sleeping at the bottom of the pool, and he felt very annoyed at being disturbed by the Cucumber.
‘You shall die’, said the Naga to the Cucumber.
‘Oh, Sir, Oh, Sir,’ replied the Cucumber, ‘I am not to blame. The Wild Pig pushed me in.’
The Naga left the pool and soon caught the Pig.
‘You shall die’, said the Naga.
‘Oh, Sir, Oh, Sir,’ replied the Pig, ‘I am out to blame. The Snake bumped against me.’
The Naga chased the Snake and soon caught him.
‘You shall die’, said the Naga.
‘Oh, Sir, Oh, Sir,’ replied the Snake, ‘I am not to blame. The Bamboo fell on me.’
The Naga went to the Bamboo and said, 'You shall die’.
'Oh, Sir, Oh, Sir,’ replied the Bamboo, ‘I am not to blame. The Wild Fowl alighted on me.’
The Naga soon caught the Wild Fowl and said, ‘You shall die’.
‘Oh, Sir, Oh, Sir,’ replied the Wild Fowl, ‘the Sessamin Plant threw his seeds into my eyes and blinded me.’
The Naga went to the Sessamin Plant and said, ‘You shall die’.
‘Oh, Sir, Oh, Sir,’ replied the Sessamin Plant, ‘I am not to blame. The Pumpkin bumped into me.’
The Naga soon found the Pumpkin and said, ‘You shall die’.
‘Oh, Sir, Oh, Sir,’ replied the Pumpkin, ‘the Rabbit knocked me down.’
The Naga found the Rabbit and said, ‘You shall die’.
‘Oh, Sir, Oh, Sir,’ replied the Rabbit, ‘I am not to blame. A Monster from under a stone frightened me.’
The Naga went and looked under the stone, but as the Frog had fled, he could not find anything under the stone. The Naga went back to the Rabbit, and said, ‘You little liar, there was no monster, and you shall die’. The poor Rabbit stood there trembling from head to foot, and his nose twitched and twitched in fright.
The Naga roared with laughter to see the Rabbit’s nose twitching and, recovering his temper, he went back to' his pool. And even at ’the present day, the Rabbit's nose is forever twitching.
6. WHY THE TIGER IS SO BITTER AGAINST THE CAT
Although the Tiger was big and strong and fierce, he was so clumsy in his movements that he became the laughing stock of the jungle. 'Look at the clumsy Tiger the animals jeered: ‘he will soon starve to death as he is so clumsy that he cannot catch any prey.’
The Tiger felt very unhappy until he remembered his cousin, the Cat. So he went to his cousin and said, ‘Cousin, please teach me all your methods of hunting and catching prey, and I will serve you faithfully for three full years’. The Cat agreed.
So, the Tiger became the pupil of the Cat, and although they were cousins and he the elder, he showed the Cat every respect due from a pupil to his teacher.
He swept the house; he prepared the meals; he ran errands; he accompanied the Cat wherever he went; and he learnt his lessons. In short, the Tiger was the perfect pupil. The Cat at first was a good teacher but later he became jealous of his own pupil. ‘The Tiger masters all the tricks I teach him/ he reflected, ‘and if I teach all I know, he will rival me, nay, he will surpass me, for he is stronger and bigger than me.’ So he decided that he would not teach the Tiger one special trick.
The three years of apprenticeship drew to an end, and the Tiger respectfully asked, ‘Sire Teacher, have I learnt everything?’
‘Everything’, replied the 'Cat untruthfully. The Tiger thanked the Cat and went away joyfully.
The Tiger now started hunting on his own, but he was soon disappointed with himself, for as he crouched to spring on a doe, the latter seemed to know that she was in danger and ran away. He again crouched to spring on a bullock, and again the Tiger failed to get his prey. ‘Hide yourself well and surprise your prey’ was one of the maxims of his teacher the Cat, and he had hidden himself well behind a bamboo thicket, but both the doe and the bullock knew that he was there.
He was puzzled and, crouching as if to spring, he considered his position carefully. At last he realized that the ‘thud, thud’ of his tail, as he swished it up and down, served as a warning to his would-be victims. ‘It is that treacherous Cat’, he cried out in anger, ‘he never taught me to swish the tail about without making a noise.' His anger increased when he remembered how silent was the Cat’s tail when on a hunt, and 'he swore that he would eat up the Cat, nay even the Cat’s dung, if the Cat could not be found.
And from that day onwards, the Tiger has been looking for the Cat, who, however, is so cunning that he is still alive. In fact, the Cat will not give to his old pupil even the doubtful satisfaction of finding his dung, and so he always covers up his dung with earth or ash.
7. WHY THE CORMORANT HAS NO TAIL
Once there was a King who ruled over human beings and animals. He had as his retainers not only human beings but animals also. The Cormorant was one of the animal retainers, and he was very proud of his appearance. He strutted about in the King’s palace flourishing his long tail. Now the Cormorant had a beautiful tail: it was shaped like a V at the end and was covered with black spots as was the rest of the Cormorant’s body.
One day the King ordered all his subjects to come and appear before him. The Gudgeon came in answer to the King’s summons, and as he entered the throne room, he saw the Cormorant standing near the door.
The Gudgeon’s heart missed a beat, for the Cormorant was a fisher-bird with a special liking for gudgeons, but he remembered that all human beings and animals had to preserve the strictest truce while in the King’s city, and felt reassured. The Cormorant’s mouth watered when he saw the Gudgeon, but he knew he should not even touch the Gudgeon, for otherwise he would be executed for treason. But he was tempted, by the Gudgeon’s timid behaviour, to frighten him, and so he stared rudely at the Gudgeon, and when the latter stared back in fright, the Cormorant gave a sudden wink with his left eye. The Gudgeon gave a wild shriek of fear, and ran out of the palace back to his home. The poor fish was later, arrested, and was tried for treason.
‘Why did you create a disturbance in my palace, and why did you go away without my permission?' asked the King, who was acting as the judge in the trial.
‘Your majesty,’ replied the Gudgeon, ‘my ancient enemy the Cormorant, who was standing near the door in the throne room, frightened me by making eyes at me.’ As after due inquiry the Gudgeon’s statement was found to be true, he was pardoned. As for the Cormorant, he was ordered to give a banquet to the Gudgeon that very evening as compensation for frightening the poor fish.
That evening the Cormorant gave a banquet to the Gudgeon and plied him with drinks, until the fish fell into a drunken sleep. Then the sly Cormorant took off the Gudgeon’s tail, and hid it in the fork of a tree,
meaning to eat it later when the hue and cry for it was over. When the fish woke up in the morning and missed his tail and broke into tears, the Cormorant suggested that as the city was full of thieves, they surely had stolen the missing tail. The Gudgeon, however,
refused to accept the Cormorant’s explanation, knowing him to be such a sly fellow, and took the matter to a Court of Taw. The Corut, after hearing evidence, decided that as a host was responsible for the safety of the life and property of his guest, the Cormorant should surrender his tail to the Gudgeon as compensation. So the Cormorant’s tail was duly cut off, and joined to the tail stump of the Gudgeon. That is why the Gudgeon now has a tail shaped like a 7 at its end and covered with black spots so different from the rest of the Gudgeon’s body. As to the Cormorant, he did not dare to take down the stolen tail from the fork of the tree and join it to his own tail stump, lest it should become obvious to the world that he was a common thief. That is why the Cormorant has no tail at the present day.
8. THE CROW AND THE WREN
The Crow once caught the Wren, and said to her, ‘I will eat you now ‘. The Wren wailed to herself, ‘Oh, my little daughter, my little daughter, who will look after you when I am dead?’ The Crow thought to himself, ‘This Wren is old and tough, but her daughter will be young and soft, and so he suggested to the Wren, ‘I will let you go if you will promise to give me your daughter to eat on the Seventh day from now'. The Wren promised and the Crow let her go.
On the seventh day, the Crow came to the Wren and asked for her daughter.
‘You eat all sorts of rubbish,’ said the Wren, ‘and your beak is dirty. My daughter is clean and sweet, and unless you wash your mouth in front of me, I cannot put my daughter in your beak.’
‘AH right,’ replied the Crow, ‘I will come back soon with some water.’ Then he flew away.
The Crow went to the Water, and said: ‘Water, Water, come with me,
To wash the Beak,
To eat the little Wren.’
The Water replied, ‘How can you take me away without a pot? So go and get a pot first.’
‘All right’, said the Crow, and flew away. The Crow then went to the Pot and said:
‘Pot, Pot, come with me,
To fetch the Water,
To wash the Beak,
To eat the little Wren.’
‘I am willing to come,’ replied the Pot, ‘but I have a hole in my side. So please go and fetch some mud to fill up the hole.’
‘All right’, said the Crow, and flew away. The Crow then went to the Mud and said:
‘Mud, Mud, come with me,
To mend the Pot,
To fetch the Water,
To wash the Beak,
To eat the little Wren.’
‘I am willing to come,’ replied the Mud, 'but I am too Liard to mend the Pot. So please ask some buffalo to come and wallow here.’
‘All right’, said the Crow, and flew away. The Crow then went to the Buffalo and said:
'Buffalo, Buffalo, come with, me,
To wallow the Mud,
To mend the Pot,
To fetch the Water,
To wash the Beak,
To eat the little Wren.’
‘I am willing to come,’ replied the Buffalo, ‘but I am too weak with hunger to wallow. Please get me some grass to eat.’
. 'All right’, said the Crow, and flew away. The Crow then went to the Grass and said:
'Grass, Grass, come with me,
To feed the Buffalo,
To wallow the Mud,
To mend the Pot,
To fetch the Water,
To wash the Beak,
To eat the little Wren.’
I am willing to come,’ replied the Grass, ‘but the Buffalo is such a big eater, and he needs more of me. If you can give me some fresh land, I will grow more until there is enough of me for the Buffalo.’
‘All right’, said the Crow, and flew away. The Crow then went to the Baud and said:
‘Band, Band, come with me,
To grow the Grass,
To feed the Buffalo,
To wallow the Mud,
To mend the Pot,
To fetch the Water,
To wash the Beak,
To eat the little Wren.’
I am willing to come,’ replied the Land, ‘but, as you see, I am covered with forest. How can the Grass grow on me, unless the forest is cleared?’
‘All right’, said the Crow, and flew away. The Crow then went to the Forest and said:
‘Forest, Forest, go away,
To clear the Land,
To grow the Grass,
To feed the Buffalo,
To wallow the Mud,
To mend the Pot,
To fetch the Water,
To wash the Beak,
To eat the little Wren.’
‘I am willing to go away,’ replied the Forest, ‘but I cannot move, as the roots of my trees are stuck in the ground. If you will please fetch a fire, and burn me up, the Land will be cleared.’
'Al right, said the Crow and flew away. The Crow then went to the Fire and said:
‘Fire, Fire, come with me,
To burn the Forest,
To dear the Land,
To grow the Grass,
To feed the Buffalo,
To wallow the Mud,
To mend the Pot,
To fetch the Water,
To wash the Beak,
To eat the little Wren.’
‘I will come,’ replied the Fire. The Crow in great joy flew back towards the Forest with the Fire in his beak, but before he could reach it, his beak had become so badly burned that he had to drop the Fire. Giving up all hope of eating the little Wren, the Crow flew home in disgust.
9. ROW FRIENDSHIP BEGAN AMONG BIRDS
At first friendship was unknown among birds, for there was intense rivalry among them all. If a bird saw another bird, he at once said, ‘I am a better bird than you’, and the other replied, 'Certainly not, for I am better than you’; then they would start to fight.
One day the Pheasant met the Crow and being in no mood to quarrel, he said, ‘Crow, you are a better bird than me’.
The Crow was not only surprised but very pleased at these words of the Pheasant, and out of politeness, he replied, ‘No, no, Pheasant, you are a better bird than me’. The two birds sat down and had a chat.
Then the Pheasant said to the Crow, ‘Crow, I like you. Tet us stay together.’
‘All right, Pheasants, replied the Crow. So, the two lived together in a big tree. With the passing of time, their regard for each other grew, but in their case, familiarity did not breed contempt, and they continued to show courtesy and respect to each other.
Other birds watched the association of the Pheasant and the Crow with interest, and they were surprised •that the two' birds should stay together for such a long time without fighting or quarrelling. At last, some of the birds decided to test their friendship. So they went to the Pheasant while the Crow was away, and said, ‘Pheasant, why do you live with that good for nothing Crow?’
‘You must not say that’, replied the Pheasant, ‘the Crow is a better bird than me, and he honours me by living with me in this tree.’
The next day they went to the Crow while the Pheasant was away and said, ‘Crow, why do you live with that good for nothing Pheasant?’
‘You must not say that’, replied the Crow, ‘the Pheasant is a better bird than me, and he honours me by living with me in this tree.’
The birds were deeply impressed with the attitude of the Pheasant and the Crow towards each other, and they said to themselves, ‘Why couldn’t we be like the Pheasant and the Crow, instead of fighting and quarrelling?’ And from that day onwards, friendship and respect for one another developed among birds.
10. HOW THE CROW BECAME SMALL IN SIZE
Once there was a great king who ruled over all men and all animals. He was a just and kindly ruler, and his subjects, except for a wicked few, loved and obeyed him. He was also mighty in body and a show of his fist was enough to frighten a rebellious subject into submission. However, one day the Crow decided to rebel. The Crow at that time was a big and mighty bird, and as at present, he was the most cunning of all birds. He wanted to become the king of the birds. So the Crow cajoled some of the birds to recognize him as their king, and fought the others into submission, until at last all the birds were under him. But he was not satisfied, and he now wanted to rule over human beings also. With this end in view, the Crow led his army of birds to the great king’s city.
The great king, realizing that the birds had been won over by cunning or by force to join the Crow’s rebellion, did not wish to kill them. So he did not call out his soldiers, but went alone to meet the Crow and his army of birds. ‘Crow,’ said the great king, ‘I have no desire to kill you or your followers. I will pardon you if you will ask for forgiveness and disband your army.’
'Be honest,’ replied the Crow insolently, ‘and say that you are frightened of this mighty Crow.’ The king showed his mighty fist to frighten the Crow into submission. ‘Ha, Ha,’ jeered the Crow, ‘do you call that a fist? Compared to my big and mighty body, it is indeed a tiny” thing.’
At this insult the great king became angry, and said, ‘Crow, I do not wish to kill you, but for your insolence I will punish you now. You are very proud of your size, and you are contemptuous of my fist. So I lay this curse upon you: May you become as small as my fist.’
The Crow opened his mouth to give an insolent reply, but before he could say a word, his body started to shrink, and it continued to shrink until the Crow was no bigger than the great king’s fist. All the other birds begged for pardon from the king, but the Crow flew away in fear and shame.
11. A BRIDEGROOM FOR MISS MOUSE
Miss Mouse was so beautiful that her parents decided to marry her to the most powerful being on earth. So, they set out in search of a bridegroom.
They went first to the Sun. ‘Oh, Sun,’ they pleaded, ‘please marry our beautiful daughter.’ When the Sun agreed readily, they were assailed by a doubt, and asked, ‘But are you really the most powerful being on earth?’
‘Why, no,’ replied the Sun, ‘the Rain is more powerful than me because when it rains, I am driven out from the sky.’
‘Sorry,’ said the parents of Miss Mouse, turning to go, ‘but we want only the most powerful being to many our daughter.’
They went to the Rain, who however said that the Wind was stronger than he, for rain clouds were always being driven about by the Wind. So they went to the Wind, who, although willing to marry Miss Mouse, admitted that he was not the most powerful being, for he had never been able, however hard he tried, to blow away the Mound, who always stood in the Wind’s way. So they went to the Mound, who told them that the Bull was more powerful, for the Bull came every evening to sharpen his horns against the Mound, breaking chunks off it in the process. So they went to the Bull, who regretted he was not the most powerful being, for he had to turn right and left according to the orders of the Rope, which acted as the reins in the bullock-cart driver’s hands. So they went to the Rope, who was overjoyed at the prospect of marrying the beautiful Miss Mouse, but he also had to admit that there was one more powerful, namely the Mouse who lived in the cow-shed, for he came every night to gnaw at the Rope.
So, the Mouse who lived in the cow-shed was chosen as the bridegroom. He was found to be a strong and handsome fellow, a worthy mate for Miss Mouse.
12. THE LITTLE CHICKEN AND THE OLD CAT
The little Chicken said to her mother, ‘Mother, please bake me a cake’. The old Hen consented, and asked her daughter to bring some firewood splinters, which human beings threw away. So, the little Chicken went into the kitchen of a nearby house, but as she was picking up some firewood splinters, an old Cat found her and threatened to eat her.
‘If you will be so kind as to let me go,’ pleaded the little Chicken, ‘I will give you a piece of my cake.'
‘All right’, said the old Cat.
The little Chicken went home with the firewood splinters, and told her mother about her adventure. ‘Don’t worry, little daughter’, said the old Hen, ‘I will bake you a big, big cake, so that there will be more than enough for you and your old Cat.’ "When the big, big cake had been baked, the old Hen gave it to the little Chicken, reminding her at the same time that she should not forget to leave a bit for the old Cat. But the cake tasted so nice that the greedy little Chicken ate it all up. Then she said to her mother, ‘What shall I do now? I have eaten all the cake.’
‘You greedy little thing’, scolded the old Hen., ‘Perhaps he has forgotten’, said the little Chicken hopefully. ‘Perhaps he won’t come, perhaps he doesn’t know where we live.’ But just at that moment, she saw the Cat coining towards her. ‘Oh dear, what shall I do now, for the old Cat is here?’ she cried out in fear.
'Follow me’, said the old Hen, and rushed into the kitchen of the nearby house. The little Chicken followed. The old Hen and the little Chicken looked round for a hiding place in the kitchen and, discovering a big earthen jar, they slipped inside it.
The old Cat saw the Hen and the little Chicken running away and felt very angry. ‘Where is my share of the cake?’ he shouted. ‘I will eat you up, you greedy Chicken, and your mother too.’ He followed the fugitives into the kitchen, but although he cast his eyes round, he could not spy them. ‘But they must
be here,’ he argued to himself, ‘for I saw them running in here and, moreover, there is only one door. Sooner or later, they must come out of their hiding place.’ So he sat down in the doorway, and waited patiently.
Inside the earthen jar the old Hen and the little Chicken were trembling with fear. After some time, however, the little Chicken felt bolder and became fidgety. So she whispered in her mother’s ear, ‘Mother, I want to sneeze’.
‘You will do nothing of the sort,’ replied her mother angrily, ‘for the old Cat will hear you and will look inside the earthen jar.'
Some moments passed, and the little Chicken again whispered, ‘Please let me sneeze just a bit’
‘No,’ replied her mother, ‘decidedly not.’
Some moments passed, and the little Chicken again whispered, ‘Please let me sneeze just a tiny bit’.
‘No’, replied her mother.
Some moments passed, and the little Chicken again whispered, ‘Let me sneeze just a half of a tiny bit’.
The mother lost patience and said ‘yes’; and the little Chicken gave a loud, loud sneeze. The sneeze was so loud that the earthen jar broke in two exposing the old Hen and the little Chicken to view. Luckily for them, however, the old cat ran away in fright, thinking it was a peal of thunder, so the old Hen was able to leave the kitchen safe and sound, with the little Chicken strutting proudly behind her.
13. HOW THE GALON-BIRD BECAME A SALT-MAKER
As a Naga-Dragon was having a stroll in the forest, a Galon-’Bird saw him from the sky, and swooped down to catch him. The Dragon looked round swiftly for a hiding place, but found none. However, a king was nearby on a hunt and, assuming human form,. the Dragon lost himself in the king’s retinue. The Galon was puzzled at the sudden disappearance of the Dragon, but soon guessed what the latter had done. So he assumed human form also and, joining the king’s retinue, he scanned the face of every retainer carefully. The Dragon quaked in fear, for he knew that the Bird would recognize him. The king and his company met a group of merchants, who respectfully stood aside for the king and his men to pass. The Dragon slipped into the group of merchants and went along with them.
The Galdn-Bird had scanned the face of every retainer, but he did not find the Dragon. After consideration, he realized what the Dragon had done, and followed the group of merchants. But by that time the merchants were approaching the sandy shore of the sea, and when the Dragon saw his enemy coming towards them, he decided to make a dash to the sea. So, assuming Dragon form, he ran across the sand towards the sea. The Bird saw him and, assuming Galdn form, he chased his prey. However, he was just too late, and the Dragon dived into the water and returned to his home beneath the sea.
The Galdn wept in disappointment, for he had set his heart on eating that particular Dragon. He felt he could not leave the place where the Dragon entered the water, for he expected that the latter would one day come out of the sea again, and he decided to wait. However, he realized that it was out of the question to wait in his own form, for the Dragon would see him from underneath the water and, moreover, human beings would come and harm him. There was a village of salt-makers, who made salt from the sea-water, nearby and, assuming human form, the Galdn joined them. He worked and watched at the edge of the sea every day, but the Dragon did not reappear. The Galon grew old and died as a morose salt-maker, for he never caught the Dragon after all.
14. WHY THE BUFFALO HAS NO UPPER TEETH
The Buffalo and the Ox were cousins, and they were very fond of each other. The Buffalo had two rows of fine teeth, but the Ox had only one row, which was on his lower jaw. But the Buffalo was a kindly old thing, and when he had eaten his meal he would lend his upper teeth to the Ox.
The Horse was a wonderful dancer, and lie was also a wonderful clown. He could sing very well too. He toured the countryside dancing and singing and clowning. Everywhere the animals flocked to see the horse putting up a fine show.
One evening the Horse was giving a performance near the place where the Ox and the Buffalo were living. The Buffalo did not care for such frivolities, and for him to stay submerged in water up to the neck was better than any dancing or clowning. But the Ox was only a young animal, and he wanted to see the show. But as other animals went to such shows in all their finery, the Ox wanted to go with both rows of teeth, so that when he laughed at the jokes of the clown, all the world would see that he had two rows of lovely teeth. So after he had finished eating his evening meal, he did not return the upper teeth to his cousin, but slipped away to the place where the Horse was performing.
The Ox strutted up to the front and took his seat. On the stage the Horse danced, and the animals clapped their hands. The Horse now performed acrobatic tricks, and recited humorous verses, until the animals were prostrate with uncontrollable laughter. The Ox laughed with his mouth wide open, and the Horse saw the two rows of ivory teeth. The Horse also had no upper teeth, and felt very jealous that the stupid looking Ox should have them. So he thought of a trick.
The Horse finished his act and he sat down amidst applause. 'Oh, Horse,1 said the animals, ‘you are wonderful.’
‘My friends and patrons/ replied the Horse, ‘I could entertain you more if someone would lend me his upper teeth, for then I could talk better and sing better.’ Up jumped the foolish Ox and, taking out his upper teeth, handed them to the Horse. The Horse expressed his thanks to the Ox, and after resting for some minutes continued his performance. He sang a merry song, and the animals roared with laughter. Then he turned a back somersault, and the animals clapped their hoofs in joy. He turned another back somersault, and he was of the stage. The animals clapped the more. Then the Horse gave another back somersault, and now he was quite a distance from the stage. As the animals cheered his acrobatic trick, he suddenly turned his back to the audience, and ran with all his might. The Ox, crying, ‘Stop thief, return me my upper teeth’, chased the Horse, but as the Horse was such a fine runner, very soon he was over the hills and far away.
That is why at the present day the Buffalo has no upper teeth. Even now, the Buffalo wails, ‘It’s mine, it’s mine’. The Ox, to support his cousin’s claim, cries, ‘That’s true, that’s true’. And the Horse laughs in reply ‘Hee, hee, hee’, for he still possesses the upper teeth gained from the Ox at that performance of long ago.
15. WHY THE BARKING DEER BARKS
The Stag in all his glory marched up and down the forest, crying, ‘Hello, hello, I am like a soldier’. He did look like a soldier with his strong body and beautiful antlers.
The Small Deer with his short horn imitated the Stag, and he also marched up and down, crying, ‘Hello, hello, I am like a soldier.
The Monkey, sitting aloft in a tree, was playing with a creeper, and shouting, ‘Coil up the rope! Coil up the rope!’ He looked down and saw the Small Deer swaggering up and down, and laughed aloud.
The Small Deer was annoyed. ‘What are you laughing at, oh you Fool of the Tree Top?’, he asked.
'At you, my dear’, replied the Monkey, and he went on shouting, 'Coil up the rope, coil up the rope*.
‘Are you thinking of catching me with a rope?’ asked the Small Deer indignantly. The Monkey did not deign to answer and went on playing with the creeper. ‘You wicked animal,’ said the Small Deer, ‘I will make the tree fall down, so that you also will fall down.’ So saying, he went and gored the tree with his horn. The tree did not fall, but the horn stuck in the trunk. The poor Deer pulled and pushed but the horn remained stuck. The Deer struggled the whole day but he remained stuck to the tree. The sun set and darkness came, and the Deer became frightened. But the Monkey still sat on the tree, playing with the creeper, and mocking the Deer with his cries of ‘Coil up the rope, coil up the rope’.
The Leopard now prowled the forest, and the Deer pleaded, ‘Sire Monkey, please save me. The Leopard with his piercing eyes will soon see me and kill me.’ The Monkey pitied the Deer at last and said, ‘Bark like a dog, and I will shout like a human being. The Leopard will think a hunter and his dogs are waiting for him, and will run away.’ So the Deer barked like a dog, and the Monkey shouted. The Leopard, as expected, ran away in fear.
When dawn broke, the Monkey came down from the tree and freed the Deer. ‘I shall not be boastful again,’ promised the Small Deer, ‘and I shall never again cry that I am like a soldier. Instead, I shall always bark.’ He then said farewell to the Monkey, and ran back to his home, barking all the way.
>>To be continued
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